The Senate on Thursday failed to advance a Democrat healthcare bill and a Republican bill that would have addressed the high cost of health care.
The Senate voted on Thursday 51-48 not to invoke cloture or advance a Democrat bill that would extend the enhanced Obamacare subsidies for three more years, which would punt the issue right ahead of the next presidential election. The legislation would cost roughly $90 billion.
The Senate Republican plan, informally known as the Crapo-Cassidy bill, failed to advance on a 51-48 vote as well. It would let the enhanced Obamacare subsidies expire and use the federal healthcare dollars instead to go toward patients in the form of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). The Crapo-Cassidy plan is projected to lower insurance premiums by 11 percent through cost-sharing reduction payments. It would also bar illegal aliens from accessing Medicaid by requiring states to verify citizenship and immigration status before receiving coverage. It also prevents federal dollars from being used for gender transition services under Medicaid.
The Crapo-Cassidy plan would fulfill President Donald Trump’s vision to stop money indirectly to patients through health insurers, via the enhanced Obamacare credits, and instead go directly to American patients so that they can make choices more appropriate to their liking.
Health care has become a fixture of Congress after Democrats staged a weekslong shutdown as the enhanced Obamacare subsidies are set to expire. Democrats agreed to end the shutdown after Senate Republicans agreed to allow for a vote on a healthcare bill of Democrats’ choosing.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) argued that the Democrats’ concession vote on their healthcare bill amounts to nothing more than a “political messaging exercise.”
“Democrats may talk about helping Americans, but their bill is nothing more than a political messaging exercise. Republicans have a plan to start addressing the spiraling health care costs in Obamacare and make structural reforms that would drive down premium prices,” Thune said.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), a physician, and one of the chief sponsors of the Republican bill, compared the two healthcare bills this way:
(1) Democrats’ plan, which sends money to insurance companies & pads their profits (2) Republicans’ plan, which will send money directly to the PATIENT to cover their care and LOWER costs Which vision do you want?
The enhanced Obamacare subsidies will still expire at the end of the year as Congress will continue to work toward a potential solution.
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